Watford FC Chairman & CEO Scott Duxbury shares his thoughts ahead of tomorrow’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Sunderland (April 27, 3pm KO)...
Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to Vicarage Road for this, the final home fixture of the 2023/24 season.
This is a really exciting time – and I sense that supporters and staff alike are sharing in the hope that the appointment of Tom as our permanent Head Coach is going to have a hugely positive effect for our football club.
My personal association with Tom goes back over many years; I have worked with him as a player, captain and now Head Coach.
Tom’s humility is a disarming characteristic for professional football, given the illustrious players and managers he has mixed with over his long playing career right at the top of this industry.
It sometimes masks a steely resolve to succeed, but that beating heart of true self-awareness, a determination to develop and learn every day, will I believe give him every chance of enjoying the role as Watford’s Head Coach.
We’re going to support him come hell or…… actually, I think it’s best I don’t go there! Let’s just say I wish nothing but success for Tom in his role.
Save to say, he has impressed everyone within the training ground since his appointment as Interim Head Coach – and those important conversations about summer player trading and recruitment have seen him speaking regularly with owner Gino Pozzo and I.
For a coach to produce motivated and well-planned performances against some of the division’s best-performing sides has been a credit to his football experience that he’s been able to deliver quickly and impactfully.
Everyone understands team displays can sometimes suffer when there isn’t a cause towards the end of a campaign. But you only have to have been at just one of the past seven matches to clearly see the performances on show from a squad desperate to show its support for Tom in the best way possible.
Today marks the last chance for the players to leave you with those good feelings going into the summer that Tom has talked about, and I’m sure they’ll take that chance.
Before kick-off, at half-time and after the game, we’ll be announcing this season’s award-winners, with the post-game presentations also being accompanied by Tom and his squad taking the chance to thank you for your support this year.
We look forward to seeing many of you this coming Wednesday here at the training ground for the last of five fans’ Q&As this season. It’s focusing specifically on the academy, with Tom’s presence confirming this to be a key area of focus for all of us both now and in the months that lay ahead.
Then off to Middlesbrough and into the summer break in an extremely positive place for our club, now led by a Head Coach who knows Watford as well as anyone possibly could do when first taking up such an important role.
Welcome to the Board of Directors of Sunderland AFC.
My warmest wishes to you and your families for a restful summer. See you here in August!
Best regards,
Scott Duxbury
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Watford Football Club
